This bird, a first for
Buckinghamshire and one of the few to be recorded in an inland county, was a pale-throated
male of probably the eastern race O.h.melanoleuca. It was found by
Mike Wallen and Jim Rose mid afternoon while checking out potential sites for Curlew, for
the forthcoming bird race. Having gone as far as intended the sight of a fairly bare
cultivated field ahead caused Jim to state "That field looks good for Wheatear"!
On reaching a gap in the hedge Mike Wallen picked out the bird pictured above along
with a Northern Wheatear.
This was before the days of mobile phones, so Jim set off to the local phonebox and Mike
stayed to keep an eye on the bird. Confirmation of identity soon came as did fifty
or so local birders and twitchers from further afield who were keen to tick this difficult
species. Even as darkness fell birders were still arriving. As is typical of
this species it had departed by the following morning.